Hands-On Fundraising

Donor Communications

  • About
  • Hands-On Fundraising Blog
  • Services
  • Contact

The one thing you need to know about fundraising

What you need to know about fundraising: it’s not about you I’m embarrassed to say it took me years to realize this. I – like you, maybe – was filled with enthusiasm for my organization. That’s good. It’s really hard to do good work when you don’t feel that way. But I let it color […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor focus, Donors, nonprofit mission Leave a Comment

7 Techniques to Boost Donor Engagement

Do you want to boost donor engagement? With the rise of laptops, smartphones, and social media, nonprofits now have more tools to engage donors than ever before. The problem with having so many choices, however, is that it can be difficult to figure out exactly which engagement techniques are most effective. To complicate the matter […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor engagement, donor relationships 4 Comments

How to be a donor detective

How to be a donor detective Searching for clues… After decades together, I learned my husband didn’t like pineapple. It was shocking, really, that I’d missed something like that. Do you feel like that about your donors, too? What clues might you have been missing? A successful fundraiser is a detective. The best retailers have created […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor behavior, donor care, donor emotions 11 Comments

Why I still believe in mushy fundraising

Is donor-centricity a crock? Why I like mushy fundraising. There was an interesting discussion at The Agitator last month. (I think it began with Who Gets Fired? but I can’t promise I’m right. The conversation continued over days because it was important.) It raised a question: who’s to blame for lousy fundraising? Development staff, executive directors, […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor focus, donor love, donor-centric, emotional fundraising 1 Comment

3 Mistakes Nonprofits Make When Approaching Major Gift Prospects

This week’s post by Bill Tedesco comes to us thanks to DonorSearch Are you making the most of your major gift prospects? As you move forward with major giving, ensure that you’re developing a thorough and thought-out approach to finding new donors. A portion of thinking through the process from start to finish should involve […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor cultivation, major gifts, prospect research 2 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • Next Page »

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Search

Recent Posts

  • Three steps you should take now to keep your donors this year
  • How to Build Your Own Donor-Centric Fundraising Strategy
  • Please don’t go! 5 ways to win donor hearts again.
  • Can we stop this in its tracks, please?
  • Do you want to really connect? Show, don’t just tell me.

Work with me!

Let's talk about how I can help your organization raise more money.

Contact

  • Donor communications
  • Fundraising Strategy

Copyright © 2026 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · 847 S. Main Street · #183 · Plantsville, CT 06479